Do You or Do You Not Have Bad Breath?

Bad breath is a fairly common condition than you might like to think. It can befall the best of us and can range from a light scent to a fainting-induced odor. Nonetheless, most of us are not aware. Family or friends can hesitate to inform us, most likely unwilling to offend us. Halitosis or bad breath is a sensitive subject. Whether we have the condition or not, it is best to find out ourselves.

While we all know that certain foods like garlic, onions and fish can produce mouth odor, a good tooth brushing, flossing and a gargle can make it disappear. However, these foods can actually mask real halitosis or make it worse. As it is, it is not easy for us to pick up our own scent. In fact, you can’t smell your own breath by just blowing into your closed hands and try catching the odor. It doesn’t work that way.

Why is that so? The body is designed so that the senses are accustomed to the smell of one’s own breath.
Evolution has helped our noses to be acclimatized to our own scent and yet detect strange odors that are not our own. Since we exhale constantly, we become accustomed to our own smell.

So how else can we tell if we are sporting halitosis?

Unless you ask somebody else’s opinion, you may not know. One such way is to do ‘the cotton test’. Get a piece of cotton gauze and with it wipe the top surface of your tongue. Smell it. A foul odor and a yellowish stain transferred onto it will tell you that you’ve accumulated a high sulphide production level, meaning your breath is bad.

Another way is to lick the back of your hand. Let it dry for 5-10 seconds and then smell it. Or use dental floss by running it between your back teeth. Smell the floss. It may be the level of odor that other people detect in you. Another way is to stick your tongue out as far as possible in front of a mirror. Observe the furthest part of your tongue. Is it whitish? It’s a sign of bad breath.

A visit to your dentist can really identify the cause of your halitosis. If it’s a chronic condition your dentist can give you a professional diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment depending on the source.

Help with Halitosis in Bellevue

If you have taken us up on our detection tips for bad breath and conclude you may have bad breath, or perhaps you are still unsure, do come for a consultation. Overlake Dental in Bellevue see cases like this and can very well lend professional advice and treatment.

Why Do I Have Foul-Smelling Breath?

Bad breath. This is probably the one thing you don’t want people to remember you by. You don’t want to be told you’ve got bad breath; definitely to be the last to know you’re breath is foul is most embarrassing. So why not do a breath check and see for yourself before anyone else tells you so. Here are some of the top reasons why you might be struggling with bad breath.

You might not be cleaning your mouth the right way. Bad dental hygiene is the most likely cause of bad breath. It is a sign of poor oral hygiene that may eventually lead to periodontal problems. It is not enough that you are only tooth brushing; that’s just 25% cleaning. Be sure you are brushing twice a day, using floss daily, and rinsing with mouthwash. This routine cleans and freshens your mouth by killing bacteria.

You’re not drinking enough water. Lack of fluids in the mouth can cause halitosis because a dry mouth is haven for bacteria to live and multiply. And did you know that saliva fights bacteria? A decrease in the production of saliva also leads to mouth dehydration leading to bacterial growth. Just drink more water.

You’re drinking the wrong fluids. You might think that because you’re drinking lots of alcohol or caffeine, you’re hydrating your mouth. Wrong! These beverages lead to a condition called xerostomia, which is defined as dry mouth resulting from reduced or absent saliva flow. Xerostomia is not a disease, but it may be a symptom of several conditions, like chemotherapy, periods of anxiety, radiation, mouth breathing, drinking acidic beverages, among others.

You’re not eating the right foods. Eat plenty of vegetables and herbs, while avoiding foods that contribute to bad breath like those high in sugar or with particularly potent flavours. Avoid spicy, odorous foods like garlic and onions. If you find that you can’t avoid them, try eating an apple or yogurt afterwards to help fight the compounds released. Also rinse with a strong mouthwash after eating strong flavored foods.

You have a sore throat or post-nasal drip. A small percentage of bad breath issues originate in the nose or sinuses, some from the tonsils. The same bacteria giving you bad breath are the ones that also infect your throat and tonsils. Post-nasal drip can accumulate at the back of the mouth and on the tongue, so this area should be gently cleaned with a tongue scraper.
You might have an underlying health problem. Bad breath can sometimes be a sign of a more serious underlying medical condition. If your breath has a distinctive smell, it can indicate a disease, like cancers, liver failure, and other metabolic diseases due to the specific mixes of chemicals that they produce.

Bad Breath Treatment in Bellevue

Don’t delay seeing your dentist in Bellevue if you are bothered by bad breath. In many cases the situation is treatable. So come by for a consult and let’s see how we can make your breath smelling fresh again.

Determining Dental Visit Frequencies

Seeing your dentist regularly is an important part of dental care routine. But just how often should you pay a visit to your dentist? The general rule of thumb is twice a year, as that involves dental exams and professional cleanings every six months to help maintain oral hygiene and prevent many dental diseases.

The ADA says, though, that since people differ, others may require more dental care than others. It is important to discuss your treatment with your dentist and determine just how often you need to visit for proper oral care. The frequency of visits can also change from time to time, depending on your overall health and other factors, such as pregnancy, or upon diagnosis of particular medical conditions.

What are the advantages?

Signs of oral problems, such as gum disease and cavities, are detected early to avoid future complications. Another is that it’s a good example for children to follow. As far as children are concerned, it is better to keep tab of their oral health during their developing years. Signs of trauma, sores, decay, malocclusion and other conditions are not easily vocalized, so parents must keep watch.

When do you start seeing the dentist?

Young children must be acclimated to the routine exam process. The ADA recommends that your child’s first dental visit occur within six months of their first tooth appearing. Starting regular checkups at an early age will help your child become more comfortable with the dental tools and with sitting in the dental chair.

So what is the best frequency of visits?

Again, the general rule of thumb is every six months. Some can get away with fewer visits. Others may need more frequent visits. People with very little risk of cavities or gum disease can do fine seeing their dentist just once a year. People with a high risk of dental disease might need to visit every three or four months, or more.

Regular visits to your dentist are essential for healthy teeth. Even if you have never had a single cavity, it is important to see your dentist to prevent any future oral care issues. Routine dental cleanings will not only help keep your family’s teeth healthy, but they will also establish a lifetime of healthy choices for your children.

Visiting Your Dentist In Bellevue

Start your regular checkups at Overlake Dental and find out your state of oral health. From here, your dental team in Bellevue can determine just how regularly should you visit for optimal care.

Oral Manifestations of Stress

It has been well studied that stress can contribute to serious health conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Less obvious, though, is that stress can leave their signs on our teeth and gums as well. Sometimes we end up with issues we didn’t even know are dental, and we are even clueless that we are stressed.

Common Symptoms

A common dental problem that can be related to stress is teeth grinding. Day time and especially night time teeth clenching applies undue pressure on teeth and gums. It can cause headaches, chipped or flattened teeth surfaces, and tight jaw muscles. Unchecked, it can lead to improper bites and the breakdown of the temporomandibular joint connecting the skull to the jawbone. If you’ve been grinding teeth beforehand, stress exacerbate the situation.

There are certain drugs taken for depression and anxiety, including Prozac and Zoloft, that may lead to jaw-clenching and teeth-grinding many people are not aware they cause. This is a case of anti-stress drugs causing stressful situations.

Some studies linked stress to oral issues. A review of scientific studies in 2007 found a relationship between stress and periodontal disease, which also includes the lesser form, gingivitis. A Canadian report, only recently, found that participants who were more stressed had poorer oral health and greater oral pain compared with participants who had less stress. A hormone involved in the body’s stress response, cortisol, weakens the immune system, making a person more susceptible to gum disease.

People who are stressed out most of the time pay little attention to self-care routines, and oral hygiene is one of those. They disregard proper oral hygiene, leading to inflamed gums or tooth decay.

Today’s times are proving to be more stressful for Americans. According to a recent “Stress in America” report from the American Psychological Association, Americans on average reported more physical symptoms of stress in 2017 compared with 2016, including anxiety, anger, and fatigue. Most commonly cited reasons were the “future of our nation,” money, and work. It was the first significant increase in stress levels found by the APA since the inaugural survey in 2007.

Stress-Free Living for Better Oral Health

As if living with stress isn’t bad enough for one’s general well-being, unchecked stress can create havoc on oral health as well. We always remind our patients that oral issues are mostly as preventable as dealing with stress.